TylerE

And how many imps did an X here cost? 1? maybe even none?

Pretty sure that law got struck the last go around.

What was the range of 1N? My gut feeling is that yes, I allow it.

Can I go back and open 1♥? Having passed the first time, I don't really think you can expect to catch up. 2♦ is probably the least evil now.

Just registering my unhappiness with this is scored... A thin, nearly even-money minor sut game at MP can hardly have an EXPECTATION of a near top. The significant part of the time that it's down those in 5♣ are getting essentially a bottom...this is not a 3 or 5 hand.

Ouch....1 point, sure you don't want to double check this again :P Still not feeling very good about the scoring on bd 1 tbh. If you want to call 5♣ a 10, fine, but if it goes down 40% of the time staying out of game should be more than a 5.

On that hand, I employ the open 2NT convention. If anything, it's almost too good for 2N.

In a typical matchpoint field I'm gonna invite with any 8 just because I know that's what the field is doing, and I see no real reason to deviate..

If I was gonna be snarky, I'd say one who bids 4N here to bid 6 holding all keycards really shouldn't be throwing stones here...

Yea, an immediate super accept has more merit that faffing about before bidding it.

A strong hand with hearts.

At unfavorable I think 3♦ is insane. Way too easy to go for 200 here, and even 5 and 8 aren't out of the question, esp. if partner is on like xxx xxx xxxx xxx. Plus, who says 2♠ is making? At equal I would rarely bid 3♦, much more rarely still if 1N is weak. At favorable...hey, up to you, but I do think it's a bit of anti-partnership bid.

I don't see much to get worked up about. Can't ever see a PP being merited in these circumstances. Keeping Jh can't be right. If declarer has K stiff it doesn't matter, and if he has Kx, again, doesn't matter. In a club game I think it's totally ok to do something like this to keep the game moving. In fact, I think this is close to telling S to get a life...

Four doesn't look that good to me. I'm guessing you caught a lucky club posistion? That said...after 3♥ I probably couldn't NOT bid 4.

BTW, I would hardly describe that 2♦ bid as NEGATIVE. 7hcp verus a 2♣ opening can be sniffing at slam. Typically a negative response is defined as some like no Ace, King, or 2 Queens.

1N, on principle. I'm sure it didn't work otherwise this wouldn't be posted, but I hate 3 card balanced raises.

IMO: finesse the queen: The queen is the missing card finesseeing the queen: The king is the missing card That said, I rarely say either.

I just think if the scores are truly supposed to model matchpoint expectancy, then only contracts that it is actually reasonable to reach should factor it. Maybe call 3n 10 (Sure it's not 100%, but don't think many would disagree it's the MP spot), and 4♥ a 12. That surely WOULD be a pure top if anyone bid it, but any imaginable field no one is.

PLus on a bad heart split 4♥ is down with 3N racking. Plus, for 4♥ to beat 3N, someone has to actually *be* in 4♥.

Are the slams truly a zero? In every field there's always someone who leads trumps against a slam, and on a non ♣ lead 6♥ is cold as long as hearts are 4-0.

Just to make sure I understand...the 4♣ score would also apply for any lower ♣ partscore?

Am I missing something or is 3N scored too high? Only 8 tricks on top and I think there are too many layouts where NS have at least 5 tricks, possibly more, for this to be an 11/9. For instance a black suit lead winning, and and H Q/J/T back. I mean sure if A♥ is onside it's a sure make, but that's not a lock by any means.

Yea, agreed with the others. If you say a 10 should be attainable on every board, them imo 3♥ must be scored as 10 since 2♥ is unplayable. As for the painrs in 2♥, surely that must be operator error?

Eh richard? I can easily read my books on all 4 devices I regularly use (My actual Kindle 2, a PC, a mac, and my android smartphone). While I'm no DRM-lover by any means, as implemented on the kindle, it's pretty inoffensive.

We had probably the simplest auction on this board... 2♣ - 2♦ (A/K +) 4N - 7N